Combined measuring and dispensing attachment for bins.



L. B. THOMAS. GOMBINEDMEASURING AND DISPENSING ATTACHMENT FOR BINS.APPLIGATION FILED 001216, 1911.

1,065,482. Patented June 24,1913.

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'57 y @2-f@ I T i "f7 i, l f j la 3 4 'i' UN z 4g W //]7 f 5 J5 i i ffm@ijf-f i 2 Witnesses v l I M/flnventor,

Attorneys.

L. B. THOMAS. COMBINED MEASURING AND DISPENSING ATTACHMENT PGB. BINS.

Patented June 24,1913.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.16, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Zzzf/M/wmm.,

' Attorneys.

coLuMslA PLANoGR/PH C0..w^sHlNnToN, D, c.

L. B. THOMAS. COMBINED MEASURING AND DISPENSINGKATTACHMENT FOR BINS.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.16. 1911.

Patented June 24, 1913. I 3 SHEETS-SHEET s.

, Inventor,

Attorneys.

LUTHER B. THOMAS, OF SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA.

COMBINED MEASURING AND DISPENSING ATTACHMENT FOR BINS.

Application led October 16, 1911.

T 0 all lwhom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, LUTHER B. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Shreveport, in the parish of Caddo and State of Louisiana,have invented a new and useful Combined Measuring and DispensingAttachment for Bins, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to computing bins and is more particularly animprovement upon the structure disclosed in an application filed by meon January 12, 1911, said application bearing Serial Number 602,318.

One of the objects of the present invention is to increase the capacityof the structure by utilizing a storage bin having means whereby thecontents thereof can be elevated into an upper or dispensingcompartment.

A further object is to provide improved means for measuring the materialto be dispensed.

A still further object is to provide an indicator under the control ofthe measuring mechanism` for disclosing the amount measured and theprice charged therefor.

Another object is to provide means for preventing leakage of themeasured material from the apparatus.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made wit-hin thescope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred forms of the invention havebeen shown.

In said drawings: Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partlyin section of a bin having the present improvements embodied therein.Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the bin, parts being broken away. Figjlis a view partly in side elevation and partly in section of a modifiedform of apparatus. Fig. et is a front elevation of a portion of thestructure shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section through aportion of the apparatus and showing the slide shifting lever in plan.Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the adjustable cut-off used inconnection with the bin shown in Figs. 3 and et. Fig. 'T is an enlargedperspective Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 24e, 1913.

serial No. 654,900.

view of a portion of the top plate of the measuring compartment andshowing the slot therein and the closure for the slot. Fig. 8 is avertical section through a portion of another modified form of bin. Fig.9 is an enlarged longitudinal section through the top of the measuringcompartment shown in Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a transverse section throughsaid compartment. Fig. 11 is a plan view of a portion of anothermodified fo-rm of bin. Fig. 12 is a section on line A-B Fig. 11. Fig. 13is a transverse section through a modified form of indicator. Fig. 14 isa front elevation of one end portion thereof. Fig. 15 is a plan view ofa modified form of cut-off and connections. Fig. 16 is a front elevationthereof.

Referring to the gures by characters of reference 1 designates a storagebin having a transverse shaft 2 in the bottom portion thereof and whichmay be driven by means of a chain 3 engaging a sprocket 1 secured to theshaft 2 and another sprocket- 5 secured to an actuating shaft 6. Saidactuating shaft may be driven by means of a crank 7 or the like.Obviously any other suitable means may be used for driving the shaft 2.

The bin 1 constitutesa pedestal on which is mounted an upper dispensingbin 8 having a. dispensing compartment 9 in the upper portion thereofand which is adapted to be supplied from the storage bin 1 by means ofan endless elevator 10. This elevator is actuated by the shaft 2 and ismounted on guide sprockets 11 or the like mounted in the upper portionof the bin 8, said elevator having a portion thereof overhanging thecompartment 9 so that, as the buckets 12 of the elevator are broughtsuccessively into position above said compartment 9, they will dumptheir contents into the compartment.

The compartment 9 is provided with an outlet 13 opening into a measuringcoinpartment f4 the front of which is preferably closed by means of aslide 15 similar to that disclosed in my application hereinbeforementioned. A leaf 16 is hingedly connected to the outer face of theplate 15, as indicated at 17 and extends throughout the width of theexposed portion of the front face of the slide 15. A. cut-off plate 18eX- tends at right angles from the lower edge of the leaf 16 andprojects under the lower edge of plate 15 and into the measuringcompartment 14. This cut-off plate is preferably provided with anadjustable eXtension 19 whereby the cut-ott can be shortened orelongated as desired and the cut-olf and its extension projectsthroughout the width of the measuring con'ipartment 11i so as to i'itsnugly against the side walls thereof. A handle 20 is connected to thelower portion ot the leaf 16 whereby the cut-oit can be readilyT swungabout the hinge 1T as a center and a spring catch 21 is preferablyarranged on the outer tace ot the plate 15 and projects into an openingin the leat 1G so as to lock the leaf against the plate 15.

fr stem 23 is adjustably mounted in the back wall ol the measuringcompartment 111 and carries a back plate Qet from the upper edge ofwhich extends a tlange 25 which bears downwardly on the upper edge otthe back wall ot the compartment lll. Stem 23 is adjustably connected toback portion ot the bin 8, an adjusting screw 26 or the like beingprovided tor the purpose ot shitting the stein toward or away from thefront ot the bin so as to move the plate 24e toward or away from theslide 15. lt is to be understood that the cut-ott' plate 18 isadjustable so that, when the leaf 1G is locked to the plate 1.5 by meansot' the catch 21, the extension 19 will bear snugly against the backplate 24.

A slide valve 27 is mounted on the upper end ot' the measuringcompartment 1st and serres normally to close the outlet 13, this valvebearing downwardly on the tlange 25 and being connected, as by means ot'a link 28, to one arm ot a bell crank lever 29 which is fulcrunied, asat 30, within the bin 8. The other arm ot the bell crank lever extendsforwardly through a slot 31 in the front ot the bin, where it can beeasily grasped `for the purpose ot actuating the valve. lt will beapparent thatby pulling upwardly on the forwardly projecting end ot thelever 29, the valve 27 will be slid rearwardly so as to permitmaterialto pass through the opening 13 and into the measuring compartment lll.il spring may be connected to the lever 25) at any desired point so asto hold the valve 27 normally closed.

fr casing 33 extends across the tront ot the bin S adjacent the topthereof and has an open trent face through which appears a g aduatedstrip 34C having data thereon indicating pounds and the prices thereofand the price to be asked therefor. This strip 3e is removably mountedwithin 'the casing 33 and is prepared for use in connection with onekind of material to be dispensed. Should another kind ot material ot adit'- erent weight and price be substituted, dili'erent strip 3a wouldbe inserted into the casing An index or pointer 35 is mounted to slidelongitudinally of the casing 33 and is connected to a cord 36 or thelike. This cord extends longitudinally noeaeea through the casing 33 andis mounted on guide sheaves 37. @ne end ot the cord is attached to theslide 15 while the other end is connected to a spring 3S which, in turnis secured to the bin 8. It will be apparent that when t-he slide ispulled downwardly the cord 3G will be moved therewith and cause thepointer or index to move longitudinally ot' the casing 33, thuselongating the spring 3S. lllhen, however, the slide 15 is raised, thespring 3S will hold the cord taut and move thc index in the oppositedirection.

The measuring compartment il opens, at its lower end, into an outletspout 39 which is gradually reduced, in transverse area, toward itsdischarge end. fr leat et() is slidably mounted between the bins 1 and 8and is adapted to be drawn outward so as to form a support tor a. box,sack or the like into which material is to be discharged from the spout3S ln order that the slide 15 may be securely held in any position tovwhich it may be adjusted, a guide rod ill 'is secured to the t'rontface ot the bin S and close to one side of the slide 15 and engaged by aspring clip '-l-Q ot any suitable construction. said clip being attachedto the slide 15. lt will be apparent that by adjusting the siem 2.3 soas to move back plate 2l within the conipartment 1t, the transverse areaot the com.- partment to be filled from the dispensing compartment 9 canbe varied at will so as to suit the material to be dispensed. lt is otcourse necessary to adjust the cut-ott plate 18 and its extension 19after the back plate Q-'t has been adjusted so as to insure a tight titbetween the cut-ott and the walls olf the n'ieasuring compartmeut whenthe lca't 1G has been secured against the slide l5 by the catch 2l.ritter the parts have thus been adjusted and the dispensing compartmentS) has been filled, the cnt-ottq 1S 'can he adjusted by .First releasingclip 4t2 from engagement with rod l1 and then shitting the slide 15until the index 35 points to the graduation indicating the quantity tobe dispensed. Handle Q0 is then pulled forwardly and upwardly and willswing the cut-oli3 plate 18 oi'ltwardly from under the slide 15, thuspermitting the contents ot the measuring` compartment to gravitate ottot the cut-o tt plate and into the spout 39. lt is ot course to beunderstood that while the material is being discharged trom themeasuring compartment, the valve 2T is to be closed.

instead oit constructing the apparatus as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, thesame may be made as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4.-. lt will be noted byreferring to these figures that the outlet spout lf3 is in alinementwith the measuring compartment dit, both et them being inclined at anangle ot about degrees or more to the bottom ot the bin. The dispensingbin l5 in this moditied form has a dispensing compartment 46corresponding with the compartment 9 and the outlet 47 in saidcompartment opens into the upper end of the measuring compartment 44,said outlet being normally closed by a laterally movable slide 4S. Saidslide is preferably operated by means of a horizontal lever 49 one endof which extends through a transverse slot 50 in the front of the bin 45while the other end has an arm 51 extending perpendicularly therefromand pivotally connected to one side of the slide 48. Thus it will beseen that when the lever is pushed to one side the slide will be openedand when the front end of the lever is pushed in the opposite directionthe slide will be closed. A spring 52 may be located at any suitablepoint and is attached to the lever 49 so as to hold the slide normallyclosed. The measuring compartment- 44 shown in Fig. 3 is provided with aback plate 53 similar to the plate 24 and having a stem 54 adjustablymounted in the back or lower wall of the compartment 44. The meansprovided for adjusting the stem preferably consists of a lever 55fulcrumed at one end within the bin 45 and having an adjusting screw 56pivotally connected to its other end and extending through a bracket 57on the front face of t-he bin 45. Said screw is engaged by an adjustingnut 58 whereby the lever 55 can be swung upwardly or downwardly so as tomove the stem 54 and the plate 53 in the desired direction. It is to beunderstood of course that there is a movable connection between thelever 55 and the stem 54, said connection being preferably in the formof a pin 59 mounted within a slot 60, as shown in Fig. 3.

lVhen the measuring compartment 44 is inclined, as illustrated in Fig.3, it is preferably extended under the dispensing compartment 46 so thata recess 61 is thus formed between the bottom of the compartment 46 andthe top of the measuring compartment 44. The bottom of this recess isformed by the top plate 62 of the measuring compartment and this topplate may be one of several forms. ln the form shown in Figs. 3 and 4,the top plate has a longitudinal slot 63 formed in the center thereofand within which slides a flat shank 64 of a cutoff plate 65. A handle66 is connected to the outer end of the shank while the plate is locatedat the inner end thereof. This plate has an extension 67 adjustablyconnected to it and it will thus be seen that the cut-oft1 can beadjusted so as to it close to the walls of the measuring compartmentafter the back plate 53 has been adjusted to any desired point. Packingstrips 68 of felt or any other soft material are preferably connected tothe edge portions of the plate 6.5 and its extension 67 so as to preventleakage past the plate. Springs 69 are attached to the shank 64 and beardownwardly upon the outer face of the 'top plate 62 so as to prevent thesaid plate from swinging downwardly under the weight of the contents ofthe compartment 44.

The slot 63 is normally closed by means of a flexible strip 70 o-f feltor the like. An indicator 71 similar to that heretofore described, islocated upon the top plate 62 above the slot 63 and the index 72 of theindicator is connected by a cord 73 to the shank 64 and to a spring 74.Thus it will be seen that when the cut-0E 65 is shifted longitudinallyof the slo-t 63, the amount being measured will be accurately designatedby the indicator' 72. lVhen the cutoff 65 is shifted along t-hemeasuring compartment 44, its shank 64 will press the flexible closure70 to one side and said closure will promptly move back to its normalposition so as to close the slot after the shank 64 has passed. Ashereinbefore stated the springs 69 serve to hold the cut-off plate 65 sothat it will not tilt under the weight of the contents of the measuringcompartment. When, however, said cut-off plate has been adjusted to adesired point and the measuring compartment has been filled, the handle66 can be swung upwardly and backwardly, thus placing the springs 69under stress and causing the cut-off 65 to swingA downwardly. Thecontents of the measuring compartment will therefore be free togravitate downwardly into the spout 43.

1n Fig. 11 another form of top plate has been shown, said plate whichhas been illustrated at 75, being formed with a series of parallel slots76 extending transversely of the plate and throughout the width of themeasuring compartment 77. Any one of these slots is adapted to receive acut-off plate 77 having a, handle 7 S extending downwardly from itsouter edge. Said cutoff plate is connected to one end of an arm 79extending laterally from a strip 8O which, in turn, is pivotallyconnected to a sleeve 8l slidably mounted on a guide rod 32. Said sleeveis provided with a spring clip of any desired form for locking it in anyposition to which it may be adjusted. lt will be apparent that byreleasing the clip from the guide rod S2 the sleeve 81 can be movedalong said rcd to any desired point and the cut-olf plate 77 can then beswung downwardly into any one of the slots 76 which may have beenselected. In this form of device an indicator S3 similar to thathereinbefore described is employed and the index 34 thereof is operatedby a spring drawn cord connected to the sleeve S1. This form o-f slottedtop plate is only to be used where beans or other comparatively largeseeds or grains are to be dispensed.

In Figs. 3, 9 and 10, another form of top plate has been illust-rated,the same being designed to be used in connection With very small seedsor cereals. The top plate 85 ot' this device has an opening1 S6 the sideWalls ot' which are grooved, as indicated at 8? so as to receive theends ot rollers 88. These rollers are held normally in Contact by meansoit springs 89 bearing against one ot' the end rollers. The out-olil tobe used in connection with this structure is the same as that disclosedin Figs. 11 and 12 and it Will be apparent that a'liter it has beenadjusted to a desired position, it. can be swung' doivnivardly so as toWedge betvfeen tvvo selected rollers, thus spreading them apart andpermitting' the out-oti1 plate to move dovvnilf'ardly into the measuringcompartment'. Leakage of material between the remaining,` rollers is otcourse prevented in view of the :tact that. said rollers are normally incontact.

lnstead ot using reniovable index strips with the various indicators7and as shown at 811 in Fig. a cylindrical easing 90 may be substitutedfor the casing 323 or the correspending` parts in the otherconstructi-zne7 said casing having a slot in the 'liront portion thereotas indicated at 91. A cylinder 92 can then be mounted for rotationWithin the casing and can be provided with parallel series oitgrzufhialions and characters readable therewith, each series relating toone kind ot' material to be dispensed, so that by rotating the cylindera desired series ot graduations can be brought into vieuv and can beread in connection ivith the index 93 which Works along the slot. 91 andis operated in the same manner as the index 35 hereinbetore described.

instead et mounting the cut-off upon a pivoted struoture, as illustratedin several oit the figures heretofore described, a slide flfl. may bemounted on the top plate of the measuring' eomjnn'tment and may beprovided ivith an upstanding guide 95 in vvhieh the cut-ott 0G isadapted to slide. lhe slide lll may be eonneoted to a guide rod ill' bymeans ot a clip Q fastened to the slide. lhis strueture has beenillustrated in Figs.

and 16.

lllhat claimed 1. The coinbinatioii with an adjustable measuring;compartment having' an outlet.y ot' a cut-oil' adjustable longitudinallyot and located within the connmrtment, and means .ter iiiclinine' theeut-ott toward the outlet to release the contents ot the compartment.

'the combination with an adjustable measuring' con'niartment, saideonmartment harina' an outleh ot a eut-olif adjustable loneitiulinallvrot the comjnnftinent and for elosine' the out-let. and. means torinclinine; the j eut-ottA for releasing' the contents of the eom^partinent.

Loeaaee 3. The combination with an adjustable nieasurine' compartment,said compartment having' an opening' in one Wall thereof, of a eut-offmovably mounted Within the opening', means tor inelining the eut-ott torelease the contents ot the Compartment, and means for maintaininpf theopening' normally closed.

fl. The combii'iation With a measuring' compartment, ot' a cut-ottmovable lonnitudinally of the compartment, an indicator, and meansoperated by the eut-ott when shit'ted longitudinally ot the compartment,for movingl the indicator transversely of the compartment..

A bin having' af measuring compartment., a cut-ott for varying` thelenrth of the measuringv oomjnirtment, an indicator movable transverselyof the bin, and means operable by the cut-ott when shiftedlongitudinally of the measuring compartment, 'tor actuating theindicator.

t3. rl`he comliination with a dispensing' bin having' a dispensine;compartment, and an adjustable measuring' oompaitnoent oommuni 'atiire'with the dispensing' Compartiment, ot means .tor Closing' Communicationbetween said compartments. an outlet spout eonnnunieatinu' with thei'neasurine' compartment. and an inclinable eut-ot`t mounted to moreinto or out oit and slidably connected to the bin.

7. rthe combination with a dispensing' bin haring' a dispensingcompartment, and an adjustable measuring: compartment com* municatingwith said dispensing' compartment, ot means tor closing); Communicationbetween the cempartn'ients, an inclinable eut-ottA mounted to more intoand out ot the measuring: ctzmjnu'tm-ent. said eut-oli being adjustablelongitudinally of the measuring' conipartinent, and means operated bythe eut-oit during such longitudinal adjust ment 'tor indicating' thebulli ot the contents ot the measuring' connnirtmen't.

9. Apparatus ot the Class described including' a dispensing'compartment. a measuring; compartment Communicating therewith.` meanstor closing' oonnnunieation betvvveen the compartments. a back plateadjustably mounted Within the measuring eenipartinent. an inclinableeut-ott plate adjustable lomritudinally ot the measuring' compartment.and means lior shitting' the cut-o'til plate into and out et themeasuring' eonmartment,

ln testimony that l claim the lioreg'oing' as my own, l have heretoallixed my siognature in the presence oit two Witnesses.

T"i'litnesses linnn n l. Oonsnrnnrrnn, A. C. Bulma.

each, by addressing the Commissioner ef Patents,

Washington, D. C.

